R E C H E R C H E A P P L I Q U É E

The Dental Health Status of Dialysis Patients

(La santé buccodentaire des patients dialysés)

• Judith T. Klassen, BSc, MD, FRCPC •

• Brenda M. Krasko, DMD •

S o m m a i r e
Contexte : Le nombre de patients qui souffrent d’insuffisance rénale et qui ont besoin de dialyse s’accroît de 10 % à 15 %
chaque année et la probabilité que les dentistes auront à traiter ces patients augmente elle aussi. Cependant, la
prestation des soins buccodentaires aux patients dialysés peut s’avérer complexe, en raison de la prévalence de
facteurs de comorbidité tels le diabète, l’hypertension, l’ostéodystrophie rénale, l’immunosuppression, la présence
de prothèses non dentaires, ainsi que la consommation d’antihypertenseurs et d’anticoagulants ou d’agents antipla-
quettaires. Qui plus est, ces patients semblent prédisposés à une variété de problèmes dentaires, notamment aux
maladies parodontales, à un rétrécissement de la chambre pulpaire, aux anomalies de l’émail, à la perte prématurée
des dents et à la xérostomie. Une étude a donc été faite pour évaluer la santé buccodentaire des patients dialysés,
chez qui les soins dentaires et les mesures préventives primaires semblent avoir été négligés.
Méthodologie : On a demandé aux patients en hémodialyse et dialyse péritonéale, qui étaient inscrits au programme de
dialyse du St. Paul’s Hospital de Saskatoon (Saskatchewan) le 1er mars 1999, de répondre à un questionnaire et de
subir un examen buccal non invasif. Des renseignements ont aussi été obtenus du dossier médical des patients, et
leurs antécédents pharmaceutiques et autres antécédents (diabète, hypertension, prothèses non dentaires) ont été
notés.
Résultats : Des 226 patients dialysés dans le centre et le nord de la Saskatchewan, 147 ont été interrogés et examinés. De
ce nombre, 94 (64 %) étaient dentés et un nombre comparable était en dialyse en moyenne depuis plus de 2 ans.
Le tiers environ étaient diabétiques et presque tous souffraient d’hypertension; tous avaient des prothèses non
dentaires ou des fistules artérioveineuses (ou les deux). Soixante (64 %) des patients dentés attendaient une greffe
rénale. La plupart des patients dentés ont dit se brosser les dents au moins une fois par jour, mais utiliser rarement
(voire jamais) la soie dentaire, mais leurs visites chez le dentiste sont peu fréquentes, 59 des patients dentés (63 %)
ayant consulté leur dentiste moins d’une fois tous les 5 ans. Les résultats observés dans le groupe de patients dentés
font état entre autres d’une mobilité accrue des dents, de fractures, d’érosion, d’attrition, de récession gingivale, de
gingivite et d’un indice de plaque plus élevé. Les dentistes des patients ont été contactés, pour savoir si leurs patients
les avaient consultés depuis le début de la dialyse (31 des 94 patients dentés); la plupart (81 %) des dentistes ont
dit savoir que leur patient était en dialyse. Les fiches de médicaments étaient incomplètes pour 29 % des patients
et seulement 2 patients (6 %) avaient eu une prophylaxie antibiotique, bien que tous avaient une prothèse ou une
fistule artérioveineuse.
Importance clinique : Nous concluons que les patients dialysés ont une mauvaise santé buccodentaire, qui mérite qu’on
y accorde plus d’attention.

Mots clés MeSH : dental care for chronically ill; kidney diseases/therapy; renal dialysis/adverse effects

© J Can Dent Assoc 2002; 68(1):34-8

Cet article a fait l’objet d’une révision par des pairs.

survival improves, more attention must be focused on other

P
rimary preventive measures for patients undergoing
dialysis for kidney failure have previously been over-
shadowed by concerns about more urgent health prob-
lems. In the last 3 to 4 decades, improvements in
dialysis and transplantation have reduced morbidity and
mortality among patients with end-stage renal disease. As
areas such as cancer screening and management of coronary
artery disease. Dental health appears to be yet another area
where attention has been lacking.
The incidence of a variety of dental conditions, such as
periodontal disease, narrowing of the pulp chamber, enamel

34 Janvier 2002, Vol. 68, N° 1 Journal de l’Association dentaire canadienne

 The Dental Health Status of Dialysis Patients

abnormalities, premature tooth loss and xerostomia, seems Table 1 Demographic characteristics of
greater among dialysis patients.1-5 These problems may be
147 patients undergoing dialysis
related to a variety of factors, such as a relative state of
immunosuppression, medications, renal osteodystrophy and in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
bone loss, and restriction of oral fluid intake. No. (and %) of patientsa
Promoting good dental hygiene reduces the risk of oral
Characteristic Dentate Edentulous
infections that may predispose a patient to septicemia, endo-
carditis and possible endarteritis of the vascular access or line No. of patients 94 (64) 53 (36)
Mean age ± SD (years) 51.1 ± 18.8 68.2 ± 11.8
for hemodialysis or of catheters for peritoneal dialysis. For a
variety of reasons, malnutrition may be a significant problem Sex
Males 59 (63) 21 (40)
for dialysis patients, and this condition can be exacerbated by
Females 35 (37) 32 (60)
ill-fitting oral prosthetic devices, carious or missing teeth, and
local infections. Ensuring healthy dentition becomes increas- Dialysis modality
Hemodialysis 69 (73) 48 (91)
ingly important when a patient is a candidate for renal trans- Peritoneal dialysis 25 (27) 5 (9)
plantation, given the immunosuppressive protocols that may
Dialysis access
further predispose to oral and possibly disseminated infection.
Arteriovenous graft 36 (38) 17 (32)
An observational study was undertaken to determine the Arteriovenous fistula 9 (10) 8 (15)
dental health status of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis Hemodialysis line 16 (17) 8 (15)
patients in central and northern Saskatchewan. Peritoneal dialysis catheter 13 (14) 9 (17)
More than one of the above 20 (21) 11 (21)
Methods
Mean dialysis duration 25.1 ± 29.5 23.8 ± 25.4
Approval for this study was obtained from the Ethics ± SD (months)b
Committee at St. Paul’s Hospital, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Other medical conditions
Informed consent for completion of a questionnaire and Diabetes 31 (33) 30 (57)
a noninvasive oral examination was obtained from hemodial- Hypertension 88 (94) 45 (85)
ysis and peritoneal dialysis patients registered in a dialysis Prosthetic devices 9 (10) 4 (8)
program at the hospital as of March 1, 1999. Excluded were Septicemia or peritonitis 27 (29) 14 (26)
those refusing consent, patients under the age of 16 years, Race
those undergoing dialysis in satellite units and not attending White 71 (76) 37 (70)
Aboriginal 19 (20) 13 (24)
the home clinic, and those who underwent transplantation or
Oriental 4 (4) 3 (6)
died before the end of the study period. The study was
conducted between March 1 and May 31, 1999. A question- Education
None 13 (14) 10 (19)
naire regarding patient characteristics was administered by a To grade 8 37 (39) 30 (57)
nephrologist (J.T.K.) and a final-year dental student (B.M.K.). High school 17 (18) 5 (9)
Information gathered from the medical chart included the Postsecondary 27 (29) 8 (15)
patient’s age, duration of dialysis, dialysis modality and candi- Method of payment
dacy for renal transplantation. Medication history, including the Self 45 (48) 9 (17)
use of acetylsalicylic acid, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, Department of Indian Affairs 15 (16) 4 (8)
and Northern Development
warfarin, antihypertensives and immunosuppressives, was
Social services 14 (15) 9 (17)
recorded. History of diabetes, hypertension and prosthetic Private insurance 20 (21) 31 (58)
devices (heart valves, grafts, fistulae, hemodialysis lines or joints)
Medication
were recorded. Antihypertensives 74 (79) 35 (66)
Each participant underwent an intraoral exam, performed Acetylsalicylic acid 15 (16) 7 (13)
by the final-year dental student, who used a mouth mirror and Warfarin 12 (13) 7 (13)
light at the bedside while the patient attended the hemodialy- Prednisone 19 (20) 5 (9)
Immunosuppressives 5 (5) 2 (4)
sis or home dialysis clinic. Recorded were the numbers of Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs 3 (3) 2 (4)
remaining natural teeth, restorations and carious lesions,
mobility, enamel defects, fractures, erosions, attrition, reces- Transplant candidate 60 (64) 9 (17)
sion, gingivitis and soft-tissue lesions. Plaque was visually esti- aExcept where indicated otherwise. For the number of patients in each group
mated by means of a disclosing solution. Information was (row 1), percentages are calculated on the basis of the total number of
patients (147). For all other characteristics, percentages are calculated on the
recorded on a modified World Health Organization Oral basis of the number of patients in either the dentate or the edentulous group.
Health Assessment Form (1986). Probing of periodontal bDoes not represent all time on dialysis for those returning after failed

transplant.
pockets was not done, as antibiotic prophylaxis was not used.
Radiography was not performed.
Consent to contact the patient’s dentist was obtained if the
patient had been seen since initiation of dialysis. Each dentist

Journal de l’Association dentaire canadienne Janvier 2002, Vol. 68, N° 1 35

Klassen, Krasko

was questioned by telephone regarding awareness of the fact
that his or her patient was undergoing dialysis, charted
medications and use of antibiotic prophylaxis.
Statistical analysis included calculation of means and stan-
dard deviations.
Results
A total of 226 patients were registered with the St. Paul’s
Hospital in-centre, satellite and home dialysis programs at the
beginning of the study, in March 1999. Of these patients, 147
participated in the study. Ten refused consent, 46 were not in
attendance at the in-centre clinic, 7 were under 16 years of age,
and 16 died or received a kidney transplant before the end of
the study.
The results of the study are summarized in Tables 1
through 7.
Discussion
Previous studies have suggested that the oral hygiene of
hemodialysis patients is worse than that of the general popula-
tion. In a 2-year follow-up study, Locsey and others1 reported
greater calculus formation, gingivitis, caries, atrophy of the
alveolar bone, pathologic mobility proportional to bone
resorption and tooth loss, pocket formation and necrotic teeth
found under crowns, bridges and fillings. In an American
study of 45 hemodialysis patients, all had some form of peri-
odontal disease and oral debris, 64% had severe gingivitis and
a higher-than-normal score for the decayed, missing and filled
index, and 28% had early periodontitis regardless of the
duration of dialysis.2
Our data have shown that the dental care of dialysis
patients in central and northern Saskatchewan is also
neglected. These patients reported brushing and flossing infre-
quently (Table 2). Despite the fact that for more than half,
costs were paid by private insurance or a government agency
(Table 1), most dentate patients visited their dentists infre-
quently (Table 2). Most dialysis patients have complex medical
conditions, including hypertension and diabetes, of which
their dentists need to be aware. Many take medications that
increase the risk of complications during dental visits and that
may alter the means of delivery of some services. For example,
if a patient is hypertensive, local anesthetic with reduced
epinephrine can be used. Anticoagulants and possibly
antiplatelet agents may need to be withheld, depending on the
dental procedure being contemplated. Immunosuppressed
patients may need special care as well.
The dental findings in this study were consistent with
significant attrition, recession, gingivitis and accumulation of
plaque. The high frequency of attrition may be related to aging
or xerostomia. Another possibility is that patients whose fluid
intake is restricted may chew ice or suck hard candies to
quench their thirst. Aggressive brushing may result in recession
but, given that these patients appeared to brush infrequently,
recession was more likely due to poor oral hygiene. Recession
could only be graded as present or absent, as the examiner was
often unable to clearly visualize buccal tooth surfaces because
of extensive deposition of plaque and debris.
Similarly, the amount of plaque may have been due to poor
oral hygiene. A higher plaque index in dialysis patients than in

Table 2 Dental hygiene and frequency of Table 3 Oral problems (all patients)
dental examination No. (and %) of patients
No. (and %) of patients Dentate Edentulous
Dentate Edentulous (n = 94) (n = 53)
(n = 94) (n = 53) Bleeding 17 (18) 2 (4)
Brushing frequency N/A Pain 23 (24) 5 (9)
Once or more daily 74 (79) Swelling 10 (11) 4 (8)
Less than once daily 13 (14) Lesions 6 (6) 6 (11)
Never 7 (7) Dryness 53 (56) 43 (81)

Flossing frequency N/A

Once daily 5 (5) Table 4 Dental findings (dentate patients
More than once weekly but not daily 20 (21)
Never 69 (73)
only)
Use of alcohol-based mouthwash 48 (51) Finding Total (mean/patient)

Date of last dental visit Total teeth 1982 (21.1)

<1 year ago 35 (37) 26 (49) Sound teeth 743 (7.9)
1–2 years ago 19 (20) Decayed teeth 20 (0.2)
2–5 years ago 7 (7) Decayed and filled teeth 1 (<0.1)
>5 years ago 33 (35) Filled teeth 534 (5.7)
Crowns 100 (1.1)
Frequency of dental visits Mobile teeth 141 (1.5)
More than once annually 14 (15) Enamel defects 6 (<0.1)
Every 1–2 years 17 (18) Fractured teeth 66 (0.7)
Every 2–5 years 4 (4) Eroded teeth 95 (1.0)
Greater than 5-year intervals 59 (63) Attrition 537 (5.7)

36 Janvier 2002, Vol. 68, N° 1 Journal de l’Association dentaire canadienne

 The Dental Health Status of Dialysis Patients

Table 5 Oral lesions (all patients) Table 7 Responses of 31 dentists contacted

Lesion No. (and %) of patients about their dialysis patients
Nodules (including hard, soft, 21 (14) Question No. (and %)
verrucous and pigmented) of dentists
Angular cheilitis 6 (4)
Dentist aware that patient was on dialysis 25 (81)
Trauma 14 (10)
Antibiotic prophylaxis given during last visit 2 (6)
Macules 6 (4)
Correlation with and accuracy of patient-
Ulcerations 6 (4)
reported frequency of visits (within 3 months) 27 (87)
White patches (including candidiasis, 16 (11)
Medication list in dental office up to date 22 (71)a
leukoplakia and lichen planus)
Rhomboid glossitis 2 (1) aExcludes one record for which medication list was illegible.
Erythematous patches 18 (12)

surrounding bone and inferiorly and superiorly. Spongy bone

Table 6 Recession, gingivitis and plaque index
(dentate patients only)
No. (and %) of patients
Recession
≥ 5 surfaces 49 (52)
< 5 surfaces 44 (47)
N/Aa 1 (1)
Gingivitis 93 (99)
Plaque index
≥ 50% 72 (77)
< 50% 4 (4)
Refused disclosing solution 18 (19)
aCrowns placed to gingival margin.
control patients has been reported previously.6 In that study
correlation between plaque index and periodontal disease was
poor. The authors theorized that this finding was related to the
immune-modulating effect of chronic renal failure. No signif-
icant difference between the hemodialysis group and the
matched controls with regard to the periodontal index score
and pocket depth was noted. However, others have found
accelerated periodontal disease in patients with renal failure,
possibly related to impaired white cell function.7,8 Almost all
of the patients in this study had gingivitis (Table 6).
Erosion of lingual tooth surfaces was more common than
expected in our patients. Contributors to this problem might
include uremic and medication-induced vomiting or the use
of hard candies as a salivary stimulant. In addition, we
suspected bulimia in several patients with dietary indiscre-
tions, who might purge certain restricted foods.
The number of decayed teeth was probably underestimated
in our study, as probing and radiography were not performed.
However, a low rate of caries observed in another study was
thought to be related to a possible antibacterial effect of urea
or increased calculus.9 Again, the amount of plaque and debris
precluded visualization of the complete tooth structure in
many of the patients examined in this study.
Tooth mobility was likely secondary, at least in part, to
renal osteodystrophy. This bone disease, commonly seen in
patients with renal failure, results from secondary hyper-
parathyroidism. Structural bone changes in the mandible
radiate from the lamina dura of the anterior teeth to the
is less mineralized, and there is loss of the lamina dura.7
Narrowing of the pulp chamber is common in patients
with renal failure.1,4,10 This observation may be incidental, or
the chamber narrowing may lead to pulp exposure, if the
thicker, softer predentin layer is not handled with extra care
when teeth are prepared for restoration.
Xerostomia is related to the overall volume status of
patients who are discouraged from drinking excess fluid. Possi-
bly contributing to the dryness is the use of mouthwashes
containing alcohol. Dysgeusia and uremic fetor, bad taste and
odour are caused not only by xerostomia but also by the pres-
ence of urease-splitting oral organisms, which metabolize urea
(present in high levels in these patients) and thus elaborate
ammonia.
Of the dentists contacted, most were aware that their
patients were undergoing dialysis, and for most of the patients
the medication list was complete (Table 7). There was good
correlation between patients’ and dentists’ records of visits.
However, 39 (41%) of dentate dialysis patients reported not
having seen a dentist within the past 2 years, and 32 (34%)
had not seen a dentist in more than 5 years (Table 2).
Antibiotic prophylaxis was seldom administered (Table 7),
despite the fact that all patients had an arteriovenous graft, a
fistula, a hemodialysis line or a peritoneal dialysis catheter.
Although the American Heart Association recommends
administration of prophylactic antibiotics to patients
with prosthetic devices undergoing a variety of dental proce-
dures, there is no consensus among nephrologists about this
practice.11 Dental practitioners should check with the patient’s
nephrologist to see if antibiotic prophylaxis is indicated.
A significant number of the patients were candidates for
kidney transplantation and should have received meticulous
pretransplant dental care. However, such was not the case.
This lack of care may put these patients at higher risk of local
or disseminated infection relating to dentition once they are
taking immunosuppressive medication.
Our study was limited by the environment in which it was
performed. For patient convenience, all exams were done at
the bedside with simple instruments. Lack of probing and
radiography limited our ability to detect caries. The patients
received no advance warning of the study; therefore, the
amount of plaque was overestimated, as more of the patients

Journal de l’Association dentaire canadienne Janvier 2002, Vol. 68, N° 1 37

Klassen, Krasko
would probably have brushed their teeth before their dialysis
appointment if they had known about the oral examination.
Recommendations and Conclusions
1. Record the patient’s medical history and medication list on
the dental chart and review these documents at each visit.
2. The dialysis unit should notify the dentist once dialysis has
been initiated.
3. Perform dental treatment of hemodialysis patients on non-
dialysis days to ensure absence of circulating heparin.
4. Use local anesthetics with reduced epinephrine in all dial-
ysis patients, as most are hypertensive.
5. Withhold anticoagulants for a period of time agreed upon
with the nephrologist.
6. Be aware that meticulous local hemostatic measures, includ-
ing mechanical pressure, packing, suturing and topical throm-
bin, may be required, given the platelet dysfunction that often
occurs in patients with renal failure.
7. Avoid compression of the arm with the arteriovenous
graft or fistula. Never use this arm for blood pressure
measurements, intravenous administration of medication
or phlebotomy.
8. Lidocaine, narcotics (except meperidine) and diazepam
can be used safely in patients with renal failure. Dose
adjustment is needed for aminoglycosides and
cephalosporins. Tetracycline is generally not recommended
in patients with end-stage renal failure. Many nephrolo-
gists agree to the use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory
drugs, as dialysis patients usually have little salvageable
renal function.
9. See the patient for dental check-ups as regularly as would
be the case if they were not undergoing dialysis.
10. For patients being considered for transplantation,
complete all necessary dental care before the surgery.
11. Use antibiotic prophylaxis, if recommended by the
patient’s nephrologist, before extractions, periodontal
procedures, placement of dental implants, reimplantation
of avulsed teeth, endodontic instrumentation or surgery
(beyond the apex only), subgingival placement of antibi-
otic fibres or strips, initial placement of orthodontic bands
and intraligamentary injections of local anesthetic. Advise
the patient about the need for the antibiotic, such that it
can be prescribed and taken just before the dental visit.
12. Advise patients to avoid chewing on ice; instead, recom-
mend that they suck on the ice or chew sugar-free gum.
13. Recommend that alcohol-free mouthwashes be used to
reduce oral dryness. Alternatively, recommend a saliva
substitute.
14. Follow universal precautions. The importance of doing so
should not be underestimated, as the incidence
of hepatitis B and C may be higher among dialysis
patients.
38 Janvier 2002, Vol. 68, N° 1
Awareness must be raised among dialysis patients,
their nephrologists and their dentists about the need for primary
dental prevention. Dentists will probably see more dialysis
patients in the future, given the 10% to 15% annual growth in
the incidence of end-stage renal disease. All parties must be
knowledgeable about the treatment priorities, operative concerns
and precautions to be taken in this special population. C
La Dre Klassen est directrice médicale de la dialyse, St. Paul’s
Hospital, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
La Dre Krasko exerce en dentisterie communautaire à Regina,
Saskatoon.
Écrire au : Dre J.T. Klassen, Division de la néphrologie, St. Paul’s
Hospital, 1702 20th Street West, Saskatoon, SK S7M 0Z9. Courriel :
klassenju@sdh.sk.ca.
Les vues exprimées sont celles des auteurs et ne reflètent pas
nécessairement les opinions et les politiques officielles de l’Association
dentaire canadienne.
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oral health status of individuals on renal dialysis. Ann Periodontol
1998; 3(1):197-205.
3. Potter J, Wilson N. A dental survey of renal dialysis patients. Public
Health London 1979; 93:153-6.
4. Galili D, Berger E, Kaufman E. Pulp narrowing in renal end stage and
transplanted patients. J Endod 1991;17(9):442-3.
5. Woodhead J, Nowak A, Crall J, Robillard J. Dental abnormalities in
children with chronic renal failure. Pediatr Dent 1982; 4(4):281-5.
6. Rahman MM, Caglayan F, Rahman B. Periodontal health parameters
in patients with chronic renal failure and renal transplants receiving
immunosuppressive therapy. J Nihon Univ Sch Dent 1992; 34(4):265-72.
7. Carl W. Chronic renal disease and hyperparathyroidism: dental mani-
festations and management. Compendium 1987; 8(9):697-9, 702, 704.
8. Khocht A. Periodontitis associated with chronic renal failure: a case
report. J Periodontol 1996; 67(11):1206-9.
9. De Rossi SS, Glick M. Dental considerations for the patient with renal
disease receiving hemodialysis. J Am Dent Assoc 1996; 127(2):211-9.
10. Clark D. Dental findings in patients with chronic renal failure: an
overview. J Can Dent Assoc 1987; (53)10:781-5.
11. Dajani A, Taubert KA, Wilson W, Bolger AF, Boyer A, Ferrieri P, and
others. Prevention of bacterial endocarditis: recommendations of the
American Heart Association. Circulation 1997; 96:358-66. Disponible à
l’adresse URL : http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/96/1/358
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